God’s Omnipresence vs. Manifest Presence

A truism of life is that no matter how old you are, there’s always something new to learn – or unlearn. Regardless how advanced we are in terms of age, we’ll never get to be a know-it-all. Especially from a spiritual perspective.

 

One important aspect of Christian theology, even for us non-professional “laypeople,” is learning about the attributes of God. There are many from which to choose, but among them are the “omnis,” which include His omniscience (being all-knowing), omnipotence (being all-powerful), and omnipresence (being present everywhere).

 

I find the omnipresence of the Lord particularly intriguing. It kind of reminds me of the lines from “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” – “he knows when you are sleeping, he knows when you’re awake, he knows if you’ve been bad or good….” Except in God’s case, it’s not a lilting Christmas ditty. It’s true because He is everywhere. 

 

King David wrote in one of his most familiar psalms, “You know when I sit down and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways…. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?” (Psalm 139:2-3,7). David concluded regardless of whether he went to the heavens or the depths, was in darkness or light, God would be there.

 

This can be very comforting, knowing we can’t go anywhere or find ourselves in any circumstances without God being near. But it seems to me this also raises a question. Speaking to His disciples, Jesus Christ said, “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst” (Matthew 18:20). If we know God is omnipresent, why did Jesus need to say this?

 

While pondering this question, I recently heard a pastor make a notable distinction between God’s omnipresence and His “manifest presence.”

 

As I understand this, it means that when believers assemble together – such as in a small group, at a Christian conference, or in a worship service – our omnipresent Lord manifests His presence in a special way. Especially through our prayers and praise. For instance, one translation of Psalm 22:3 states, “But You are holy, You who inhabit the praises of Israel.” 

 

Interesting, isn’t it? God “inhabits” the praise of His people, meaning He’s actively present in our worship and praise. An everyday analogy – limited as it is – might be helpful here. Consider a mother who’s in the home, available at a moment’s notice for her child. But the child is busy, oblivious to mom’s presence. Until a little crisis occurs and then, “Mommy!” Instantly the mother is there, ready to help in whatever way is necessary. She’s already present, but when needed her presence is ‘manifested.’

 

Here’s why the distinction struck me: For much of my life as a follower of Christ, I’ve regarded the music portion of a worship service kind of like a pregame warmup, or perhaps the appetizer before the main course. As a music lover I’d enjoy the songs – some more than others – but was really anticipating the “meat” of the service, what the pastor would be teaching through his sermon.

 

However, discovering the reality of God inhabiting the praises of His people has given me a fresh perspective on the musical aspect of worship. The New Living Translation of Psalm 22:3 offers an intriguing image: “Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.” Almost like having our praises create a throne on which the King of Kings rests. He’s metaphorically seated or dwelling in the praises offered by His people – Israel in biblical times, His Church today. 

 

Looking into this a bit further, I found a couple useful observations online. On biblestudytools.com, Britt Mooney wrote about God inhabiting our praises, “It transcends the notion of a distant, aloof deity. It paints a picture of a God intimately involved with His creation, responding to His people’s authentic expressions of adoration.” 

 

And on Christianity.com, Jessica Brodie observed, “Praising God means telling or otherwise expressing how wonderful and great we believe God is and how much we love Him.”

 

How do we get the notion of God “inhabiting” our praises from Psalm 22:3? The original Hebrew uses a combination of the adjective “qadosh,” meaning holy or sacred, according to Strong’s Concordance, and the verb “yashab,” which means to sit, remain, or dwell. The holy God sitting or dwelling with us.

 

This doesn’t mean God is present only when people sing praises about Him. Being omnipresent, He’s not confined to one place. And of course, many worship services are happening at the same time. But He’s glorified and we can experience His manifest presence when His people gather to honor His name. When we praise Him, He draws nearer to us.

 

The Scriptures are filled with words of praise for God who, as the giver of every good gift and sustainer of everything that is, is the only One truly worthy of our praise. As the lyrics from the time-honored Doxology remind us, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow….”

 

When we do what Psalm 100 encourages, to “Shout for joy to the Lord all the earth” (or in my case, “Make a joyful noise…,” in the King James Version), we’re inviting Him to manifest His presence with us. As the psalm goes on, “Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture…” (Psalm 100:2-3).

 

Many other psalms offer similar sentiments. But it’s important to remember that while our omnipresent God is always with us, when we praise Him and in effect shout “Abba Father!” He eagerly responds, “I’m right here!” 

The Value of Reminding Ourselves Not to Forget

Are you a list maker? Some of us are prolific at making lists – to-do or “honey do” lists; shopping lists; daily activity lists; Christmas giving lists. But why do we devote time and effort to making lists? It’s simple: To not forget. 

Years ago, I participated in a time management course. (That’s actually a misnomer, since we really can’t “manage” time – we can only decide how to use it.) One of the main ideas of the course was to keep a comprehensive daily list of everything we either needed to do or wanted to do. Rather than maintaining separate lists for work and home, we were advised to list everything together to avoid scheduling conflicts.

 

We were even told to prioritize each one, giving some an “A” priority, meaning failure to get them done would reflect upon us negatively, or a “B” priority, meaning if that thing didn’t get done it wasn’t the end of the world. We could always move it to another day’s to-do list.

 

One of the key points concerned why we make lists in the first place: A lot of mental energy is spent simply trying to remember stuff we don’t want to forget. If you write things down, all you have to remember is to look at the list where you wrote it down.

 

While it’s helpful to use tools to boost our recall, another way of remembering is to periodically review important moments and events in our lives. This is especially true for a healthy and growing spiritual life. 

 

The Scriptures provide us with reviews of what God has done throughout history for His people. For instance, before turning over the leadership of the Israelites to Joshua, Moses recited a lengthy song of remembrance of things both good and bad. 

 

First, he reminded the people of Israel about the Lord’s unchanging character. “I will proclaim the name of the Lord. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does not wrong, upright and just is He” (Deuteronomy 32:3-4).

 

After recalling how the Israelites “acted corruptly toward Him…a warped and corrupt generation…,” Moses admonished them, “Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you” (Deuteronomy 32:5-7).

 

Immediately following Moses’ death, Joshua also underscored the importance of remembrance. To the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh, who had chosen not to establish their homes on the other side of the Jordan, he said, “Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you: ‘The Lord your God is giving you rest and has granted you this land’” (Joshua 1:13).

 

But perhaps the best examples of written reminders are the Psalms, in which King David and other psalmists repeatedly looked back on all God had done through the many generations of the people of Israel, both to praise Him for what He had done and also to refresh their memories so they could find courage to face their present circumstances. 

 

David wrote, “I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High…. For You have upheld my right and my cause; You have sat on Your throne, judging righteously” (Psalm 9:1-4).

 

There were times when the king of Israel surveyed his problems and struggles and honestly questioned where God was, if He was paying attention at all. Just as we sometimes do. For instance, David began Psalm 10 with the lament, “Why, O Lord, do You stand far off? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?” However, later in the same psalm – almost as if searching his own memory – he stated, “You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them, and You listen to their cry…” (Psalm 10:17).

 

The Bible offers countless other examples of how God has faithfully blessed His people and answered their prayers. These become permanent reminders we can cling to during our own times of need, pain and distress. This helps to counter our tendency to adopt a “what have You done for me lately” mentality.

 

Things are going well; we’re inclined to just take good times for granted, as if that’s what we deserve. Then a crisis emerges and we shift to panic mode. ‘Lord, where are You? I need help! Why is this happening?’ How quickly we’ve forgotten how He’s worked in our lives in the past.

 

Recently, I viewed the sermon by Joel Kovacs, pastor of 514 Church in Columbus, Ohio, speaking about the importance of praise. He said, “When we praise God, we’re putting our minds on something else [than our problems]. Praise not only puts God on the throne, but it also takes away anything that should not be on the throne…. Praise doesn’t change our circumstances. It changes our posture, which changes our perceptions. Praise doesn’t take away suffering, but it dethrones it.”

 

Reading the Scriptures and being reminded of what the Lord has done; joining fellow believers in choruses of praise during a worship service; or humming a praise song to ourselves while mowing the lawn or sweeping the floor. All are ways of remembering – reminding ourselves of who God is, what He has done, and His promises to continue being and doing the same.

 

He assured Joshua, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5), and thousands of years later the writer of Hebrews reiterated that promise: “…because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we can say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5).

 

I don’t know if you need this reminder, but I definitely do. Every day.

‘Sovereignty’ Prevails in the Derby – and in Life

Did you watch Saturday’s Kentucky Derby? The outcome was intriguing, because Journalism was the odds-on favorite. But at the end, the betting favorite came second to a horse named Sovereignty. (A horse named Publisher finished 14^th, so it wasn’t a good day for the media.) 

 

But getting back to the winner, one dictionary I consulted defines sovereignty as “supreme power or authority.” At least for this first leg of the famed Triple Crown of horse racing, Sovereignty exerted supreme power or authority at the finish.

 

It also was interesting because in his immediate post-race interview, Junior Alvarado, Sovereignty’s jockey, made a point to express thanks to his Lord, Jesus Christ. In the Bible, sovereignty is one of the paramount attributes of God, ascribing to Him the “ultimate authority, power and control over all things, including creation, history, and the lives of individuals,” as an online source puts it.

 

I’m a big fan of giving credit where credit is due, whether it’s a team working together; a teacher or mentor helping to develop someone’s capabilities; a medical professional who has provided life-saving care, or parents who sacrificed to enable a child to succeed. And it’s especially heartening to see athletes acknowledge God for their talents and the opportunities they’ve had to compete on a big stage. 

 

We’ve seen a lot of this of late in a variety of sports, and it affirms the biblical admonition, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17).

 

Does this mean that God ordained that Sovereignty, and not Journalism or some other horse, would win the revered Derby? No. At least not necessarily. Because as theologians will note, while the Lord exerts the ultimate control over His creation, the Scriptures don’t declare that He orchestrates every single outcome. Man’s free will also plays a major role in outcomes, major and minor.

 

In the case of last weekend’s race, myriad details needed to be addressed leading up to it. The winning horse had to be purchased, meticulously trained and cared for, and prepped for such a racing spectacle. The right trainer had to be selected. Jockey Alvarado was an accomplished horseman, but he had to overcome significant health issues weeks earlier even to get in the saddle. 

 

We don’t know from the Scriptures whether God ever has a rooting interest in the outcomes of specific sporting competitions. Especially if there are followers of Jesus opposing one another. But we do know He delights when His people praise Him for enabling them to showcase their talents.

 

As King David wrote in 1 Chronicles 29:17, “Since I know, my God, that You put the heart to the test and delight in uprightness, I, in the integrity of my heart, have willingly offered all these things; so now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here, make their offerings willingly to You.”

 

We also know that the Lord is not distant and indifferent to His people. In one of David’s psalms he declares, “The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them…. My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise His holy name for ever and ever” (Psalm 145:18-21).

 

Loving and serving God does not always guarantee victory or other forms of worldly success. Partly because we often learn more from defeat than triumph. But we’re told in Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Sometimes that even means being able to lift the championship trophy in Victory Circle.

Standing the Test of Time

During the recent Summer Olympics, one of the most enduring images was that of Gabby Douglas’s infectious smile after stunning the gymnastics world by capturing gold in the all-around competition. Later she joined her teammates atop the podium after winning the team competition. She became an instant media darling and won countless thousands of fans.

But her new fan base further expanded when, just after her all-around victory, she said:

“I give all the glory to God. It's kind of a win-win situation. The glory goes up to Him and the blessings fall down on me."

Like other followers of Christ, I was excited to hear that. These days more often than not, if God is acknowledged at all, it’s to place blame – but rarely to give credit. So it’s good hearing an exceptional young athlete give credit where it belongs.

But as much as I enjoy God being honored, there’s a dilemma with celebrity praise. It’s like placing a chip on your shoulder. Someone’s just waiting to knock it off. Think about Tim Tebow, now battling for playing time at quarterback with the New York Jets. He’s known for his outspoken faith, but you can bet many detractors are waiting – even hoping – for him to slip up.

I hope that won’t be the case for either Gabby or Tebow. I hope their expressions of faith stand the test of time. But over the years I’ve heard athletes give honor to God in many ways, only to bring dishonor to Him by drug and alcohol abuse, personal issues, generally boorish behavior. “I told you so,” cynics are quick to pronounce. “Another hypocritical Jesus freak. All talk and no action to back it up.”

I interviewed a prominent racecar driver years ago for a magazine, asking about his outspoken faith. He stated that ahead of his racing career, his faith and his wife came first. Within two years he was divorced, and adoring fans cringed listening to expletive-laced conversations with his pit crew during races. It’s seems a long time since that driver spoke publicly about God.

There was a rising pro tennis star, after one of his first major triumphs, telling about beginning every day by reading his Bible. Years later, after he had endured a sad series of life setbacks and misadventures, no one was asking him about God.

Taking a stand for God – particularly when you’re in the spotlight and the glare of 24/7 media scrutiny – can be precarious. Skeptics love to knock people off spiritual pedestals. And fame and fortune can put faith to the test.

That’s why the Bible offers the warning, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12). It’s good advice for all that claim to follow Jesus, but especially for those in the public eye.

I sincerely hope, years from now, people like Gabby Douglas, Tim Tebow and others are still standing firm in their faith.